Mixing device



Jan. 18, 1966 E. F. HILL MIXING DEVICE Filed Dec. 28, 1964 United States Patent "ice 3,229,965 MIXING DEVICE Edward F. Hill, 97 Winthrop Road, Hillsdale, NJ. Filed Dec. 28, 1964, Ser. No. 421,548 4 Claims- (Cl. 25995) This application is a continuation-in-part of my application Serial No. 69,417, filed November 16, 1960, now US. Patent 3,197,181, and application Serial No. 330,902, filed December 16, 1963, now US. Patent 3,197,182.

My invention relates to a device for mixing, blending, and homogenizing fluid constituents in which a bladed rotor enclosed in a housing and cooperating with the housing is driven by any suitable means.

In application Serial No. 69,417, now Patent No. 3,197,181, I have disclosed a device for homogenizing fluid constituents employing a mixing head divided transversely in two portions, the upper portion of Which is radially partitioned to form a plurality of sector-shaped passages which constitutes a stator through which the constituents flow in a plurality of streams, and a lower portion which houses a relatively flat bladed propeller which draws the mixture into the chamber and forces it through the sector-shaped passages of the stator against a movable deflector plate.

In application Serial No. 330,902, now Patent No. 3,197,182, I have disclosed an improved modification of the device disclosed in the earlier application in which the movable deflector plate is replaced by a similar mixing chamber positioned directly above the lower mixing chamber but is reversed with respect to the lower mixing chamber so that the streams emerging from the respective stators converge and produce more eifective mixing action.

In accordance with the present invention, 1 have now found that if the portion of the mixing chamber in which the rotor or propeller is housed is provided with internal helical ribs or fins, and the edges of the propeller blades are bevelled to match the curvature of the ribs, more effective mixing action occurs due to greater shearing action between the propeller blades and the housing.

The invention will be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded view partially in section of a mixing head according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view taken along the lines 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view taken along the lines 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a plan view taken along the lines 4-4 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 is a bottom View taken along the lines 5--5 in FIG. 1.

Referring to the drawing, the mixing chamber is divided into two portions, an upper portion 10, which serves as a stator, and a lower portion 11, which houses a rotor or propeller 12. The lower portion is provided internally with helical ribs 13 and bosses 14 on its base. The end surfaces of the propeller blades, which may have a pitch up to about 45, are tapered to match the ribs of the housing while, as disclosed in application Serial No. 69,417, now Patent No. 3,197,181, the upper edge of the rotor is closely spaced and parallel to the opposing edges of the radial partitions of the stator.

3,229,965 Patented Jan. 18, 1966 The upper portion is divided into a plurality of sectors by partitions 20 which extend between the outer casing and a central hub 15 in which a bronze bushing 16 is provided, a drive shaft 17 being journalled in the bushing for driving the propeller which is locked to the shaft by a locking set screw 20.

Both portions of the mixing chamber are supported by threaded guide rods 18 which extend through tapped bores in the upper and lower portions of the mixing chamber and are secured by locking screws 19. Since these guide rods can be easily removed, replacement of the propeller is facilitated.

Thus, when the mixing head is submerged in a fluid containing constituents which are to be homogenized, the propeller draws fluid into the lower portion of the chamber where, due to rotary action of the propeller in cooperation with the helical ribs of the housing, the fluid is sheared and forced through the sector-shaped passageways insuring thorough mixing action.

While I do not wish to be limited to the following examples, I have found that this improved mixing head can be used to mix paints, mayonnaise, emulsions of bituminous substances, and the like. The improved mixing head may be used with a movable deflector plate as disclosed in my earlier application, or it may be used in tandem as disclosed in my later application.

While I have described my invention in connection with a particular embodiment thereof and for specific application, I do not wish to be limited thereto as other modifications and applications thereof will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as it is defined in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A mixing device comprising a tubular housing divided transversely into an upper and lower portion, said upper portion being divided into a plurality of sectorshaped passageways by a plurality of radial partitions, and a multi-bladed rotor disposed within the lower portion of said housing, said rotor having an upper edge closely spaced and parallel to the opposing edges of the radial partitions, the internal wall of said lower portion having a plurality of projecting helical ribs which cooperate with the blades of said rotor to produce shearing action on a fluid which is drawn into the chamber when said rotor is rotated, said lower portion being otherwise unobstructed.

2. A mixing device as claimed in claim 1, in which the ends of the propeller blades are tapered to match the projecting ribs from the wall of the housing.

3. A mixing device as claimed in claim 2 in which the propeller blades have a pitch of up to about 45 4. A mixing device as claimed in claim 3 in which the upper and lower portions of the housing are separate and are secured together by removable guide rods to facilitate replacement of the rotor.

References Cited by the Examiner FOREIGN PATENTS 777,271 6/1957 GreatBritain.

WALTER A. SCHEEL, Primary Examiner.

ROBERT JENKINS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A MIXING DEVICE COMPRISING A TUBULAR HOUSING DIVIDED TRANSVERSELY INTO AN UPPER AND LOWER PORTION, SAID UPPER PORTION BEING DIVIDED INTO A PLURALITY OF SECTORSHAPED PASSAGEWAYS BY A PLURALITY OF RADIAL PARTITIONS, AND A MULTI-BLADED ROTOR DISPOSED WITHIN THE LOWER PORTION OF SAID HOUSING, SAID ROTOR HAVING AN UPPER EDGE CLOSELY SPACED AND PARALLEL TO THE OPPOSING EDGES OF THE RADIAL PARTITIONS, THE INTERNAL WALL OF SAID LOWER PORTION HAVING A PLURALITY OF PROJECTING HELICAL RIBS WHICH COOPERATE WITH THE BLADES OF SAID ROTOR TO PRODUCE SHEARING ACTION OF A FLUID WHICH IS DRAWN INTO THE CHAMBER WHEN SAID ROTOR IS ROTATED, SAID LOWER PORTION BEING OTHERWISE UNOBSTRUCTED. 